Guiltly Awoke
by xXGajeel-LucyXx
Summary: Lucy can't get rid of the "falling" dream since the day Lisanna is put into a coma after being badly hurt on a mission with her and Natsu pins the blame on her. Gajeel, being the person that saved them, slowly takes care of Lucy and her dreams as the S-class missions rolls around and Team Natsu breaks up. Gajeel and Lucy's relationship grows when Lucy learns to trust him.
1. Chapter 1

~X~

_Lucy looked around. She didn't know where she was. It was a land littered with dead bodies and destroyed buildings. A thick layer of smoke covered the place and the sky seemed red. It looked as if there was a war._

"_Igneel!" a voice called out. "Where did you go?" Lucy turned to a young boy crouching on the ground holding another person. She slowly walked over just as the boy cried out again._

"_Igneel! Come back!" Lucy's eyes widen._

_It was Natsu. A very young Natsu._

_He was holding a small child no more than about four years old. Looking into the child's eyes Lucy could see it was herself curled up and clenching tightly to Natsu. Scarred._

_Natsu turned around and looked at her. His little eyes went wide as he looked back to the Lucy in his arms now gone. _

"_What?" Lucy started to drift away from the younger Natsu. "Wait!" he yelled out to her. Lucy wasn't moving but Natsu steadily got father and father from her. He took off running towards her reaching out to grab her hand._

"_Lucy!" suddenly he was back to his normal age running towards her. Lucy then felt herself falling. Her hair was flowing around her face as she feel backwards into a sea of nothing. Natsu jumped after her but was stopped by something grabbing him. The younger Natsu._

_Lucy dark spots started to cloud her vision. She eyes closed._

_To nothing._

_~X~_

It was the dream she had the night before her mission with Lissanna. She had a bad feeling of what was going to happen today, but it didn't stop her from getting up and throwing on clothes to meet the takeover mage at the train station. Something wanted to pull her back or make an excuse on why she shouldn't go on the mission but she was dying to know the other mage a little more than she did from memories told by Natsu or Mira. Who knows, maybe she would become good friends with the other mage.

After throwing her duffle bag over her shoulder and lacing up her black boots, she opened her front door and started on her way. It came across Lucy the day before that Lisanna needed someone to go along with her on a mission she was planning on going when Juvia wouldn't be able to make it. Lucy took the opportunity and offered her assistance. Lisanna gladly accepted and asked for them to meet up the following day.

Walking into the busy train port, she looked around and spotted the silver haired girl sitting and looking down at a sheet of paper. Lucy walked over and set her bag down on the seat beside her. Lisanna looked up and smiled.

"Lucy, Good morning!" she said, "I already bought the tickets so we could board whenever its announced." Lucy took the ticket and smiled.

"You didn't have to buy mine." She said. Lissanna just shrugged.

"It was the least I could do for you, Thanks for joining me on the mission." Lucy just waved the other woman off.

"It's my pleasure."

* * *

After talking to the Client, a short, plump fellow, they started off to their destination. Lucy looked around as they started into the woods. The job was on the simple side, find a few bandits that have been attacking random villagers, defeat them and the mage over them, and off to jail they go. She didn't think it would be difficult, normally the mages over these guys were pretty pathetic which is why they only attacked people who weren't mages. If only the world wasn't so clichéd.

"This is where they normally come from," Lissanna said, repeating what the client told them, "but I don't see anyone."

Lucy looked around one more time before she grinned. "Give it a second." A moment went by and before they knew it they were surrounded by bandits, "And here they are."

Lisanna quickly changed into her tigress take over and charged at a few bandits. "You take that side and I'll get these guys, Lucy"

Lucy took out a key and nodded. "Alright. Open gate of the bull! Taraus!" cowbells sounded the woods and golden light surrounded the two female mages until a large bull stood in its place. He threw his axe back and charged at a few of the bandits they were fighting.

"Ohhhhh! Lucy! Nice body!" he yelled knocking a few more bandits out.

Lucy shook her head and called her next spirits. "Open gate of the twins! Gemini!" two blue spirits showed up and transformed into Lucy.

"Oi! We're ready princess!" they sent Lucy's whip flying to the bandits, grabbing two, and sending them into the sky for Taraus to take care of, which he did knocking them out.

The real Lucy latched onto a nearby tree branch and swung into the bandits as they tried to take her down with random blasts and attacks. Her legs drew back then flew back up into a Lucy kick, sending her four bandits into a tree. Smiling at her success, Lucy turned to her right to see her spirits finishing off the rest.

After thanking them and sending her spirits back she went over to make sure her partner was doing just as fine. Lisanna was fine with only a scratch or two as she knocked out her last one. She took a step back and sighed. "There was a lot more than I thought" she said

Lucy nodded in agreement. "Yeah, but we're not done." Just then the ground began to shake and beneath them the earth broke apart making the girls fall in. Lucy grabbed Lissanna and threw her whip up to a nearby three branch. Pulling them up back onto the ground she turned around for the person responsible. From behind a tree a large puppet like doll charged at them with green poison seeping out of his mouth. Lissanna changed again with two bird arms as she swung them back before Lucy called out Scorpio his sand blaster mixing with Lisanna's wind attack. The puppet was throw back but not defeated as he charged after them again.

"Lisanna!" Lucy looked over to her partner and pointed to the strings the puppet was attracted to. "You get rid of this puppet by those strings and I'll find the person behind it. " Lisanna nodded and Lucy took off following the path the string created. They dipped down to the ground so the controller was too far behind.

Calling Loke out, they found it was a woman with rings on each finger, the strings connected to them. She looked as if she was doll herself with her mouth sewed shut and small patches attached to her skin. Loke lit up his fingers as Lucy swung her whip back latching it to the woman just as the strings broke. Lucy smiled as she knew Lisanna had took care of the other puppet. Loke threw his fist at the woman but she turned into smoke surprising him. Lucy's whip fell to the ground as she looked around for her.

Loke turned around and started after Lucy with a frantic look on his face. "Lucy! Behind you!" he yelled. Lucy turned just in time to see the woman's claw like finger nails sink into her arm. She cried out in pain and tumbled back. Loke caught her but was taken out by the woman, her other hand through his chest.

He winced as he looked down at Lucy. "I'm sorry, princess" then he disappeared. Lucy cursed under her breath and rolled away from the woman's claws aiming for her one again. She rolled into a tree and used it to help herself up. Her arm wasn't useful with the loss of blood and pained her to move it.

"Lisanna!" she yelled. There was no reply as she took off running in the other mage's direction, the clawed woman right behind her. Ducking past tree branches and jumping over logs she finally made it to the takeover mage passed out on the ground with a pool of blood around her. "LISSANNA!" Lucy fell to the ground beside her and looked for the source of the blood forgetting the woman still after her.

"AH!" she cried out as the nails sunk into her back and to her chest. Lucy fell to the ground beside Lisanna and coughed up a little blood. She looked up as the woman drew her arm back to finish them off but never got to.

"Iron dragon roar!" Lucy watched as the woman was sent into a tree by the powerful attack. Lucy looked over to see Panterlilly grabbing Lisanna up over his shoulder.

"Don't worry Lucy, Gajeel will handle this" he said and running off to get Lisanna to safety when the puppet appeared and tried to attack him too. Gajeel jumped out and threw an iron bar at its head, shattering it and the body falling to the ground. He turned to the woman as she tugged herself towards him like a zombie just coming out of the grave. He quickly got rid of her before he turned to Lucy.

"Bunny, are you alright?" he said grabbing her arm. She winced and he let go. "Damn, you're battered up pretty bad," he turned to Lilly who was waiting for him by the path back into town "We should hurry and get them back to the hotel." The exceed nodded as Gajeel picked up Lucy's weak form and started back into town.

* * *

Gajeel wrapped the bandage around Lucy's arm gently before tying it tight. Lucy hissed at the pain that shot through her arm and flinched a little. He looked up at her and frowned at the pain he was causing her. "Sorry, gotta tie it tight to stop the bleeding." He said. "Do you want me to wrap the one on your chest?" Lucy nodded, not trusting her words at the moment.

He grabbed the hem of her shirt and pulled it up, being careful not to hurt her am too much in the process. When it was finally off, he narrowed his eyes at the deep cuts right above her breasts. "What were you guys doing in the forest?" he said grabbing the roll of bandages pulling some off before he stared to wrap it around her chest, under arms, and around her back then around again until it stopped at her bra line.

"Mission" she said looking away. "I was on a mission with Lisanna." He cut the strap of the bandage and put the roll back after tying knot in the one wrapped around Lucy. "Thank you, Gajeel" he nodded before he looked in her bag, which he had to get from her room, to retrieve a shirt. Luckily she and Lisanna were staying at the same hotel as them. He frowned when he didn't see one he was looking for and just grabbed one from his. He walked back over and draped the black button up shirt over her shoulders letting her pull her arms through herself, being easy not to hurt her wounded one. "Is Lisanna ok?" she asked.

"Yeah, Lilly is taking care of her." He said. "She blacked out from the loss of blood but she should be fine after some rest." He started with the buttons, buttoning them up starting with the top. "You shouldn't put any more pressure of your back, those cuts are pretty deep. When I get you back to the guild, we'll see Wendy." Lucy nodded as he finished the last one. "Get some sleep, when you wake up, I'll take you back to the guild."

"Thank you, Gajeel" he looked up at her one last time in the eyes before gently pushing her back onto the bed.

"Stop thanking me, I owed you." Then he smirked. "Get some sleep, bunny"

~X~

_Lucy was in the guild hall looking at herself in front of another person. "Stop being pathetic, Lucy" The person said. The Lucy in the dream looked away before a hand gripped her shoulder pulling her back into a body._

"_She told you she tried her best, it's not her fault. Give it a break, dang"_

"_That doesn't cover up the fact that she didn't have lisanna's back, if they fought together this wouldn't have happened."_

"_That's enough, Lucy get some more rest" with that her team walked out. Lucy felt stupid. Maybe he was right she should have left Lisanna alone in the middle of a fight._

_The scene stared to fade away as it was replaced with another._

_~X~_

_Now she was with a different person. He was looking down at her with a smile. "Don't give up, I'll be there for you Lucy that's what friends are for right. How about we go on a mission? I'll help you get stronger. You up for it Blondie?"_

_The Lucy in the dream smiled. "Thanks _" Lucy couldn't understand what she said as the scene changed again._

_~X~_

_She was falling again. She opened her eyes looking up into red ones staring back at her. Her hand in his pulled between the two of them "Gajeel?" she asked. He leaned in to kiss her forehead but he disappeared before he was replaced by Natsu, a glare on his face._

"_You should have been there" he said and he let go of her hand then pushed her back into a faster fall._

_She screamed._

_No one heard her._

_She was alone._

_~X~_

Opening her eyes Lucy stared up at the ceiling. she let out a breath just as she felt an arm draped around her. Turning to her right Gajeel's red eyes locked on her. She screamed kicking back in the bed and sitting up against the head board. Her back hit it and she winced in pain.

"Oi, chill it's just me" Gajeel said sitting up. Lucy calmed down. Gajeel frowned at her tilting his head to the side. He leaned in and reach his hand up and whipped something off her face. "What's wrong, why are you crying?" her face inches away from his tinted pink with a blush.

She looked away wiping away at her eyes. "I'm sorry" she said. "You just surprised me." Gajeel slowly nodded and pulled the covers off of her before grabbing her and lifting her off the bed. "What are you doing, put me down, I can walk on my own two feet." She said. Gajeel ignored her as he wrapped his arm under her backside and opened the door.

"I'm getting Lilly so we can go, he stayed with Lisanna to make sure she was alright." That was all he said as he stared down the hall. Lucy watched as people turned and looked at them as they passed. She sighed as she buried her face into Gajeel's shoulder as if it was shield from them. Gajeel knocked on a door as Lucy lifted her head. Lilly opened it and let them in.

Lisanna was on the bed sleep, her chest raising and falling slowly. "How is she?" Gajeel asked. Lilly shook his head.

"She hasn't woken up once." He said. Lucy frowned, she knew this was her fault. Maybe it was like the voice in her dream, she should have fought with her.

"We're leaving now, Lucy needs to see Wendy, and she should too." Lilly slowly nodded.

"Alright, we'll rent a car and get them to the guild. Are you alright Lucy?" Lucy nodded. "Good, get her down to the lobby Gajeel, I'll handle Strauss." Gajeel turned and walked out after throwing his hand up and closing the door behind him.

"You can put me down Gajeel" Lucy said. He ignored her again as he grabbed the bags out of his room and throwing them over his other shoulder, his jaw set.

"I'm not, so stop asking, bunny." she did.

* * *

After making to the guild Lisanna was quickly taken up to the infirmary and Wendy immediately started to tend to Lucy's chest and arm then up the stairs to Lisanna. Lucy hadn't said a word since they made it and only answered questions with a small nod or shake of her head. She was worrying. She was upset with herself for not being there for Lisanna. Gajeel hadn't left her side and for the most part kept quiet himself.

Soon, Wendy came back down from the second floor with a sadden expression. Natsu stood up and walked over to her.

"What happened? Is she alright?" he asked. Wendy bit her lip and looked away from his concerned face.

"She lost a lot a blood" she said slowly.

"And" Natsu ushered. Gajeel frowned over at him.

"Don't pile her with questions Natsu, chill" he said. Natsu didn't even try to reply to him, his focus was on the little dragon slayer in front of him.

Wendy covered her face with her hands and apologized. "She's in a coma right now, I did what I could but I'm afraid she won't wake up" Natsu stood stunned before he clenched his teeth.

Lucy stood up and started for the stairs, she felt she had to see the other woman. Maybe somehow, some kind of miracle would happen and she would wake up. She knew it was crazy, but this whole scene was. She was just trying to make another friend and yet lost the opportunity the moment she left her side.

Making it to the stairs Natsu stopped her. "You're not going anywhere, you've got some explaining to do." Lucy looked away from his angered face. She dropped her head and took a step back. "Lucy why the heck did you walk away."

"I didn't walk away" she shot back. "I just- I was just… I tried my best to protect her."

Natsu slammed his fist onto the railing of the stairs. Lucy flinched. "Stop being pathetic, Lucy" Lucy looked down to the ground as she felt some form of Déjà vu. A hand grabbed hers pulling her back behind them.

"She told you she tried her best, it's not her fault. Give it a break, damn" Lucy looked to Gajeel glaring at Natsu.

"That doesn't cover up the fact that she didn't have lisanna's back, if they fought together this wouldn't have happened." Natsu pushed past Gajeel and walked out of the guild without another word.

Gajeel looked back at Lucy, but she didn't say anything as she stared down to her feet. He racked a hand through his hair and sighed. "I'll take you home. Come on" he nudged her out the guild hall with his arm around her shoulders. she pulled away and shook her head. Gajeel grabbed her hand. "Don't fight me, Lucy" Lucy didn't pull away anymore, she gave up and let him walk her home.

She felt that helpless.

* * *

Lucy sat on the floor of her room and looked down at her feet. Gajeel was with her but he didn't say anything. She pulled her legs up and hugged them to her chest as she felt the warm cloth move up and down her back slowly.

"Does this hurt?" Gajeel asked as he rung out the towel before dipping it back in the soapy water to only ring it out again. Lucy shook her head. Gajeel brought the towel back up to her back and slowly cleaned the dried blood from her cuts.

Her front door opened and Erza tugged in with Gray. "Lucy?" she called to her friend. Lucy covered her face by burring it in the shirt Gajeel gave her earlier. She used it to cover the front part of her body as he cleaned the blood from her back. Gajeel stood up and took the water to the sink before pouring it out. Gray walked in and narrowed his eyes at him.

"Why are you here?" he asked. Gajeel shrugged.

"Just taking care of bunny" was all he said before disappearing into the bathroom. Gray watched him go before turning back to Lucy.

Erza walked over to her and placed a hand on her bare shoulder. "Are you alright?"

Lucy picked her head up and smiled at her red haired friend. "I'm okay. Hey Gray." Gray walked over and sat beside her, pulling her into a hug.

"Are you really ok?" Lucy cringed. Erza sat beside her and held her hand.

"We're not going to be like Natsu and blame you for everything. We understand what happened wasn't your fault."

Gray nodded. "You can let out whatever your feeling." Lucy could feel her eyes tear up and then just let them go crying out in defeat. She gave up on the pointless fight to hold them back and let them slid down Gray's chest and fall to Erza's hand covering up her own.

Gajeel stood in the bathroom and listen to her. He knew it was better for her friends to take care of her. So he left without a word. He wasn't needed there and he didn't even know why he stuck around. He wasn't close enough to Lucy to take care of her the way her friends did. He was better off just looking over her from afar. Lucy needed the space to let everything process. And that's what he did, let her have her space.

* * *

When Lucy fell asleep, Gray lifted her up and put her in the bed. Turning to Erza, he sighed. She looked back knowing what he was thinking and thought it was better for the words to go unspoken. "I'll stay here" she said. "Go ahead and go home."

Gray frowned. "Are you sure." Erza nodded.

"You can come cheek on her in the morning." Gray nodded as he grabbed his shirt and left. "Wait." Gray turned to the other woman. "I think it would be best for Lucy to stay away from Natsu." Gray nodded.

"Then we'll keep her away from him."


	2. A simple note, is all it takes

**All the ****quotes**** from the books, are from this little how- to, on Lucid dreaming.**

**If you want to know how yourself, here's the link: Lucid-Dream**

**and as always thanks for reading!**

**Sorry for any mistakes.**

_Lucy new she was falling again and it frightened her. She couldn't prepare herself for the fall, if it ever came. The wind was cold against her skin. She hugged herself and tried to block the coldness. It was hopeless. Lucy new that, but she had to at least try._

_Abruptly, a flash of warmth surrounded her. It pulled her in and blanketed her with reassurance. _

"_Change it, Lucy. That's the only way you'll get rid of this dream. Change it." Lucy opened her eyes she hadn't known she had closed. _

_Those words repeated themselves in her head, but she couldn't identify who the owner was. Whoever it was had giving her a key and stopping this_ _horrendous dream. And trust she wanted it to end._

_But for now she couldn't change it. So she fell with an unknown ending waiting for her. _

_Was there even an ending?_

_Would she find out if she changed it?_

_How did she change it?_

_~X~_

Lucy opened her eyes. She couldn't move. Her body was paralyzed in between her mattress and her covers. She tried to speck but nothing came out. It scared her more than the dream had. She closed her eyes and tried to calm her breath. She suddenly felt a hand grasped hers. She opened her eyes to only see a blur of the person's face.

"Lucy?" the person said. She could barely make out the messy raven hair and grayish blue eyes peering down at her. Very slowly her vison reemerge itself back to normal. Gray looked down at her, his face filed with concern.

She gave him a lazy smile and patted his hand. "Heeeey Gray." She cringed at the way her voice slurred. He chuckled down at her.

"Morning, Erza's here. Are you hungry?" she hadn't noticed until then, but she actually was famished. She nodded and Gray stood up. She went to sit up herself but Gray just easily eased her back down. "I'll tell Erza and run and get you something to eat. Take it easy Lucy. You should just rest today."

Reluctantly she relaxed back into her pillow. "Okay." She sounded weak and tired, but then again that was what she was. Gray left with one last smile. She watched him go into the kitchen for a moment before he walked out the door. Soon Erza was by her side checking on her.

"Lucy, how are you feeling? Anything hurts?" Lucy shook her head. She lied though. Her back was killing her but she didn't want to complain. Erza nodded.

"Um Erza" the red headed mage looked down at her, giving Lucy her undivided attention. "May I have some water please? My throat is a little dry." Erza gave her a firm nod.

"Of course." Lucy new it was selfish, but even if it was for just a moment she wanted some time to think. She could barely remember the events from yesterday but anytime she tried to think of them, she felt a small burn in her chest. Then she would remember his voice. His voice telling her _"Don't fight me, Lucy"_

She couldn't fight him. She was too confused to even understand what he meant by that. Did he want her to accept his assistance? Did he want her to just give up, or did he just want her to let him take her home. In the end it was all the same. He wasn't even here to answer that question. For all she knew Gajeel had just helped her to help himself. She knew she shouldn't think like that but it was all she could put together from what happened.

"I owed you" is what he had said. He couldn't possibly still hold a grunge against himself for that one time. Then again she never told him she had forgiven him for what happened. Maybe she had to clear the wave of confusion between the two of them. Would that help? She _eventually_ had to see him again. She _was_ going back to the guild.

Erza walked back towards her with a glass of water in her hands and sat on the edge of her bed. "Do you need some help sitting up?" she asked. Lucy shook her head and very slowly slid her body up into a sitting position. Erza pulled the pillow up behind her back and handed her the glass. Lucy took it after thanking Erza and brought it to her wanting lips. She greedily downed the fluid before handing the empty glass back to Erza.

After the requip mage returned from depositing it in her sink, Lucy decided she had something more important to tend to at the moment. Looking up at her friend, she asked, "Erza is there a way to control you dreams?" the older mage lifted an eyebrow and nodded.

"Yes there is away, lucid dreaming. Why?" Lucy shrugged.

"I'm just a little interested. Do you think I could go to the guild and look for a book on it?" Erza bit her lip and looked away.

"I don't know Lucy, maybe after Gray gets back and you eat something." Lucy nodded not wanting to press her chances. She wanted change this dream and she also wanted to see Gajeel. That only was for her at the guild. She knew what was waiting for her there but she also knew she had to move on. She shouldn't let Natsu's words get to her. Even though it was crushing her on every word he had said, she had to show him that she wasn't going to let those words affect her.

It was all she had to live for at the moment. Otherwise she wouldn't even be up at the moment.

* * *

Gray had come back with donuts which Erza questioned. Gray just grinned and replied "Lucy needs the sugar, mom" Lucy took one without hesitation and smiled at the sweetness. When Erza saw her smiling face, she gave up on being stern and grabbed one herself. They left about five left for later. Erza decided she would stay with Lucy until her back was better. And Gray was going to come by every morning to check on her. Lucy didn't mind. She actually liked the idea and agreed to it.

Gray ended up taking her to the guild as Erza had some errands to run for Master. Walking side by side with him, Lucy was happy. She was glad her whole team didn't blame her for everything that happened with Lisanna. Well and Gajeel. She was sad that this might end her relationship with Natsu even after everything they'd been through.

Boy the irony lately.

"So you want to lucid dream?" Gray asked looking over to Lucy. She nodded slowly as she watched her boot covered feet plant themselves one after another in front of her as she walked on to the guild hall. She wore the shirt Gajeel had given her. She hoped by wearing it, it showed that she really did appreciate his help. Everything he had did. She knew she had to give it back but she thought just for today, she'd wear it once more.

Turning over Gray, she smiled. "I thought it would be something different." She didn't think she had to tell him about the dreams. It wasn't something serious or if so she'd tell him as soon as she found out.

"Yeah, maybe I might even give it a try." They paused right in front of the guild doors as Gray pushed them open, letting Lucy past inside before him. Once she was inside she peered around and found the person she was looking for in the corner of the guild as normal, eating his iron scraps. He peered over at her and their eyes locked on each other for a moment. Gray grabbed her hand pulled her attention away from Gajeel as he led her through the guild and to the library. She looked back towards Gajeel to see his eyes watching her as she slowly walked away with Gray. She lowered her glaze as he turned to Levy walking back towards him with a book in her grasp.

She took in a breath and focused on the task at hand. There had to be away for her to stop the dream. The only way was if she could change it.

She _was_ going to change it.

* * *

Gray picked up a book and held it out to Lucy. He didn't want her to do any heavy lifting with her injured arm, so she sat on the floor and peered in different books while he searched and steadily added on the increasing pile on either side of her crossed legs. "How's this one?" he asked. She flipped through it and looked at the words printed onto the pages.

Gray joined her on the floor and peered over her shoulder. She looked at a particular paragraph and read it aloud. "Lucid dreaming is awareness that you are dreaming. This awareness can range from very faint recognition of the fact to something as momentous as a broadening of awareness beyond what has ever been experienced even in waking life. Lucid dreams usually occur while a person is in the middle of a regular dream and suddenly realizes that they are dreaming. Once you realize this, you have the ability to control your dreams, which is pretty much the most essential part of lucid dreaming."

Gray leaned back and picked up another book. "This one says something about 'Stephen Laberge's mnemonic induction of lucid dreaming'" he cringed. "Looks like theirs a lot more steps then I had pictured." Lucy nodded. Gray picked up a few books and tucked them under his arm. "How about we try the basic techniques we read in the first book?" Lucy stood up and went to grab a few books when someone took them from her. She turned around to Laxus peering over the cover.

"Lucid dreaming?" he said. "What made you want to look into this Blondie?" he took the other books she was holding and looked at those too." Lucy thanked him and went to take them back but he waved her off. "You shouldn't carry heavy things with that arm. Relax, I won't steal them from you." Lucy gave up and let him hold them. "Now answer my question."

"I don't know, I just wanted to know if it was possible." She looked away and wouldn't look him in the eyes. Laxus grabbed her chin and turned her head towards him.

"Liar" he teased. He let go and started out the library. "Come on, you want these to go?" Gray walked after him.

"Yeah, thanks Laxus." Lucy started to follow but froze when she saw they forgot a book. Picking it up she saw it didn't have a title. She flipped through the pages and frowned when they were all blank. Laxus poked his head back in and called out to her. She turned to him and looked back down to the book. One of the basic steps did say to keep a journal of her dreams. She bit her lip and took it with her.

Laxus was waiting for her at the door and let her slip past him and back into the guild hall. There was more people then there was one she had first come in. Natsu was now there. He keep his eyes away from her. Happy would look at her a few times but for the most part looked away. It pained her, but she tried to focus of something else. She shouldn't let Natsu get to her.

Lucy watched Laxus walk over and set the books on an unoccupied table also taking the one she had in her hands.

Lucy sat down as Laxus did beside her. She looked up at him and frowned. "Are you staying?" he nodded. "Why?" he looked down at her and flashed her a grin.

"Maybe I just wanted to help a fellow Blondie, is that bad?"

"No, I guess not." She didn't know why he was being nice to her, but she took what she could get. If he was going to open up and talk to her, who was she to push him away. Maybe it would be nice for her to get close to the dragon slayer.

She looked over to Gajeel on the opposite side of the guild doing the same as before, not much of a change except Levy was with him this time. She wanted to walk over and talk to him but she thought it was best to put it off for a little while longer. Or was that just her nerves talking?

Laxus grabbed a book and opened it. Lucy looked around and found no sign of Gray. She asked Laxus and he told her that Gray took the other books she had back to her apartment.

Lucy didn't know how long she sat there with him looking through each book learning ways on how to Lucid dream. She asked questions and surprisingly Laxus answered each one no matter how stupid it was. He kept his patience with her and she enjoyed his company. After a while she could feel herself being pulled away. She couldn't focus on what he was saying and instead felt herself slowly lower her head to the side.

She had fallen asleep.

~X~

_She was standing in a street. It was empty. She could see nothing but a mere silhouette walking towards her. As it got closer she could see it was Laxus. He kept walking towards her until he was right in fount of her._

_She looked into his Gray-blue eyes, wondering why he was with her. He held his hand up. Another took it. It wasn't her own. _

_Laxus pulled that hand with him and she watched as another of herself was pulled out of her and started walking beside Laxus._

_The scene changed._

_She was now looking into a bedroom. She was at the door looking at a bed. She was on it. The dream Lucy. She was crying. A hand stroked her hair and whispered things in her ear._

_It wasn't Gajeel._

_It wasn't Laxus._

_It wasn't Gray._

_It was Natsu. _

_She stared at the scene as Natsu slowly stroked dream Lucy's hair. He suddenly pulled away from her and looked in her eyes. "Don't get your hopes up." He said. _

_And then she was falling again._

_She closed her eyes and covered her face with her hands. She didn't want to see Natsu._

_Or Laxus._

_She just wanted Gajeel._

_But all she did was fall. With each passing second it hurt her, burning into the pit of her stomach._

"_You shouldn't be here" a voice had said. "You should be in lisanna's place." Lucy knew that voice was probably right._

"_Shut it!" another voice yelled. Lucy opened her eyes to see Gajeel in front of her holding out his hand. "Don't you dare listen to them!" Lucy looked away. The fall was getting faster and she couldn't control her movements anymore. Her body was numb, paralyzed in fear for the fall that would never come._

"_Don't fight me, Lucy" _

_Lucy closed her eyes again._

_She was imagining him._

_Gajeel wasn't real._

_He wasn't there._

_It pained her._

_~X~_

Slow circles rubbed into the palm of her hand as Lucy slowly opened her eyes. Like this morning, she couldn't see, her vison blurred. She couldn't move at all. Her body was stiff and felt like noodles, but she felt circles in the palm of her right hand. "It's alright." A voice said. A hand came to her back as it rubbed up and down gently. Lucy buried herself into the shoulder of the person there with her.

Slowly her vision came back to her. She could see the swaying of black in the corner of her eyes. She looked up and noticed she wasn't at the guild. She was being carried.

Pulling back to look at the person, her heart started to beat fast when she saw it was Gajeel. Her legs were wrapped around his waist and she laying over his shoulder. How long had they been like that?

Gajeel smiled at her. "You alright?"

"What happened?"

"You feel asleep on Laxus. He didn't know what to do, so I said I'd take you home." she cringed. She'd have to apologize to Laxus the next time she saw him.

"How long had I been out?"

"For about an hour. We've been walking for about five minutes. Want me to put you down?" Lucy didn't want him to, but she nodded anyway. He paused and set her down off of his body. She mumbled a thanks and started to walk with him towards her apartment. "Are you having bad dreams?"

Lucy looked up at him. She gave up. She didn't care. Guess she had to tell someone. "Yeah."

"How long."

"Since the night before last." He handed her a book. She looked down at it and noticed it was the blank paged one.

"Mira said it was fine for you to keep it. She'd found it about a month ago and didn't know what to do with it."

Lucy looked over to his hand hanging freely by his side, his other in his pocket. She felt the urge to lace her finger through his. She looked away before she did something she would regret. Gajeel saw and smiled.

"Bunny, want me to help you?" She glanced up at him. "The dreams. I'll help you." She nodded and held her breath before she grabbed onto his hand. He didn't pull away.

"Thank you" she said.

"Stop thanking me."

She wouldn't.

* * *

When she made it home Gajeel walked inside with her. She looked over to her desk and saw the books piled on with a note on the top.

_I ate your strawberry jelly filed donut._

_Don't look for it._

_Kill me later._

_Love ya_

_~Gray._

Lucy smiled despite the fact that Gray ate her donut. Just that little note made her feel like she still had someone on her side. Without him and Erza she didn't know what she would do. She depended so much on them and they let her. She was spoiled and they continued to do it. They continued to spoil her. She loved them so much. And with simple things like this, she knew they did to.

Gajeel walked over and looked at the note. "Gonna kill him?" he asked. Lucy shook her head.

"I'll just eat his chocolate one." Gajeel grinned.

* * *

Gajeel sat on the couch and Lucy sat beside him. She opened a book and looked down at the steps. Gajeel read them out loud to her.

"•Set your alarm clock to wake you up 4 1/2, 6, or 7 1/2 hours after falling asleep.

•When you are awakened by your alarm clock, try to remember the dream as much as possible.

•When you think you have remembered as much as you can, return to your place of rest, imagining that you are in your previous dream, and becoming aware that you are dreaming. Say to yourself, "I will be aware that I'm dreaming," or something similar. Do this until you think that it has "sunk in." Then go to sleep.

•If random thoughts pop up when you are trying to fall asleep, repeat the imagining, self-suggestion part, and try again. Don't worry if you think it's taking a long time. The longer it takes, the more likely it will 'sink in,' and the more likely you will have a lucid dream."

He looked over at her. "Think you can do that?" she nodded.

"I want to try to do it now. Is that ok?" Gajeel nodded. "Don't leave." She added quickly. Gajeel smiled at her.

"I'm not."

"If Erza and Gray come, don't wake me up."

"Alright." Lucy looked back at the steps one last time and took in a breath.

"Will you be my alarm clock?" Gajeel grinned.

"I'll be your alarm clock bunny. Go ahead." She closed her eyes and leaned in when Gajeel pulled her to rest on his shoulder.

Soon she was gone.

~X~

_She was back on the street watching as Laxus walked off with Dream Lucy. She walked after them. If the younger Natsu could see her, could Laxus? _

_She grabbed his shirt and watched as he turned to look at her. The dream Lucy disappeared. Laxus grabbed her hand and looked down at her with a concerned expression on his face. "Blondie?" he said._

"_I'm sorry" Lucy said. Laxus raised an eyebrow. "I want to read with you more. I want to know you more. I want to be your friend, Laxus. Can I?" Laxus stared at her for a moment before he let go of her hand._

"_I can't decide that Lucy. I'm not with you." He disappeared into smoke and she watched as it floated down the street._

_The scene changed._

_Younger Natsu was staring at her his face frowning. "Give me a break" he said. Beside him older Natsu appeared and frowned at her._

"_Get over yourself." He said. Lucy clenched her teeth and threw her hand out._

"_Leave me alone!" she yelled._

_They disappeared._

_The scene changed._

_She was falling once more._

_No, she was floating. When she turned around she looked down at herself being held by Gajeel. His hair was a mess and his chest was bare. Dream Lucy was curled up by his side. Asleep. Gajeel was too._

_Lucy tried to reach out to him but her hand went straight through him. His eyes snapped open._

"_Don't fight me"_

_She steadily was being pulled away from him. Turning around it was Lisanna pulling her away. She tried to grab him once more but he was too far away._

_The scene moved on._

_She was standing in front of a light post in the middle of the night. The light was shining down on two people. Gray and Erza was under it staring back at her._

_She ran for them._

_They left._

_The earth started to break apart and she fell slowly._

_Now she was falling again._

_It hurt._

"_Lucy, it's ok."_

"_You can wake up now."_

"_I've got you." _

_~X~_

"You can wake up now. Lucy?" she opened her eyes and looked up to Gajeel's red eyes looking down at her. He was rubbing her arm and whispering words like that to her the whole time.

"I'm sorry" she said. "I can't move"

"It's alright, I'm not going anywhere."

"I can't see either."

"I'm not doing anything. Relax." She closed her eyes and very slowly her senses came back to her. She sat up and felt herself shaking. She wasn't cold. She was scared. Gajeel saw.

He got up and grabbed the covers off her bed, and the blank book from her desk as well as a pen. Walking back to her, he draped the cover over her shoulders and kneeled in front of her. "Want to write it down?" he said handing her the book. She nodded.

After writing the whole dream she closed the book and set the pen inside of it, marking her place. Gajeel didn't bother her or ask about it. He was just there for her, and she was thankful for that. Turning to him she pulled the covers tighter around her.

"What time is it?" Gajeel peered over to the clock on her wall.

"Just a little past noon. Hungry?" Lucy shook her head. She didn't feel like eating anything at the moment. Gajeel understood.

They sat there in silence for a moment before Lucy felt she had enough. "Can we talk for a moment?" She asked.

Gajeel looked over at her and nodded. "Yeah. What's up?" she let out a breath and started.

"What do you want from me?" Gajeel narrowed his eyes at her.

"What do you mean?"

Lucy looked down to her hands balled into the blanket and searched for her words. "I mean, what are we?"

"Guild mates" Lucy frowned. She honestly didn't know what she wanted but she didn't like his answer. Then again what was she supposed to expect? Yesterday had just all of a sudden changed everything? Things didn't work like that. "Lucy, I don't understand," he said. "What do _you_ want from _me_?" Gajeel turned his full body to her and leaned back against the arm of the couch. "Are you trying to make something out of this?"

"No, I just… I just didn't understand why you're being so nice to me. What did you mean by you owed me?"

"I hurt you in the past and I never tried to fix that….Lucy, look." He grabbed her hand. "If you don't want me around, you don't have to force yourself. Kick me out."

"I didn't say that, stop implying things"

"I'm not implying things." He let out a sigh. "I just want to know. I just want to know what's going on. To understand you better ok?"

It was quite again.

"Can you give me that? Can you at least trust me?"

"I do trust you Gajeel" was what she wanted to say, but she couldn't. At least not right now. Gajeel let go of her hand.

"I'm sorry. I'm going back to the guild." He stood up and walked towards the door. Lucy watched him. That wasn't supposed to happen.

"Gajeel, wait." The dragon slayer froze and turned back to her. "Come back." He did and walked back over to her. She stood up on the couch and wrapped her arms around him. "I don't hold any of that against you, I promise. I swear." Gajeel held her back. "I should have told you sooner. I'm sorry. Don't leave me." Gajeel took in a breath and let it go.

"Alright."

Lucy smiled and held him tighter. "I wore your shirt"

"I see that."

"Thank you"

"I told you to stop thanking me"

She won't.

* * *

Gajeel ended up falling asleep while she looked over the books. It had been a few more hours before Gray came by and frowned at the sight of him laid out in her lap.

"What the hell happened?" Lucy pulled a finger up to her lips and hushed him. Gray raised an eyebrow. "Whatever, I'm going home. Tell Erza I came by. Good night" he left with a hand up, signaling he was leaving. Lucy watched him go and looked back to the book she wrote in when he was gone.

Gajeel stirred a little and sat up. Lucy looked over at him and smiled. He racked a hand through his hair and looked down at her with a lazy grin. "Sorry, I fell asleep." She waved him off.

"It's ok. I should too." She put the book she was reading on the table in front of her couch. Gajeel pulled her into his lap and laid back on one of her throw pillows. Lucy pulled the cover over them and leaned back against his chest.

* * *

Erza walked in and called out to Lucy. Not getting a reply she hurried into her room and composed herself when she saw she was alright. A grin spread across her face at what she saw. "Now will you look at that?" Lucy was curled up in Gajeel's arm her head on his chest. Erza tipped past them and into the kitchen. Looking into the box of donuts she saw they were all gone. A note on the inside.

Gajeel ate them.

Kill him later

Love ya

~Lucy.

Erza pouted but looked back over to them on the couch and smiled. "Guess I can forgive him"

* * *

Lucy had the falling dream again but was able to pull herself out of it. She was proud of herself when she woke up, but she new that wasn't the end of it. she still hand some time to change it. and she had help. Gajeel was there.

Gajeel was still asleep. She didn't want to wake him so she eased herself out of his grasp. Erza was in the kitchen drinking some orange juice.

"Morning" she said. "Sleep well?" Lucy blushed and sat in the chair across from her. Erza winked at her and changed the subject. "How about we go on a mission? Just me and you. Sounds good?" Lucy smiled.

"Yeah." Lucy was again being spoiled. But Erza didn't care. She didn't care herself. She was fine with how it was now. "Did you get the note?"

Erza couldn't help but laugh. "Oh I got the note."


	3. Sorry, For Being Me

Gajeel wrapped the thin Scarf around Lucy's neck and tied it. Erza was putting on her boots before she stood towards them. It was colder this morning then it had been the day before. Gray came over and suggested that they buddle up. Since Gajeel ended up staying the night without any change of clothes, Lucy was going to walk with him back to his house. Erza was going to wait for her at the guild so they could pick out a mission.

"Is everyone ready?" Erza asked. Gray was standing by the door waiting for them. He gave her a nod and turned to Lucy as she pulled her hand through her mittens. Gajeel handed her the blank book and they started on their way.

* * *

They parted ways by the river, Gray and Erza went to the guild, and Gajeel stomped towards his house with Lucy in right behind him. It wasn't snowing at the moment but Lucy knew it was coming. Gajeel didn't say anything. She didn't either.

"How far is it?" she finally asked. Gajeel looked back at her and smiled.

"Not far, almost there" A little past a few hills and a forest of trees, Gajeel house sat in a small clearing. Lucy followed after him as he walked towards the front door. After pushing it open Gajeel let Lucy in. Looking around, Lucy figured he really liked the color black. From his furniture to his counter tops, it was all black. Lilly was coming down stairs and looked a little surprised to see Gajeel.

"Oh. Gajeel. You didn't come home last night so I assumed you were with Levy." Gajeel walked past him with a shake of his head.

"I was with Lucy. Sorry." Lilly shrugged.

"That's fine. Good Morning, Lucy" Lucy waved and smiled at the exceed as Gajeel disappeared upstairs. "How are you feeling?"

"I feel a lot better, Erza and Gray are taking good care of me, thank you." Lilly smiled at her.

"So I presume you and Gajeel are heading to the guild?" Lucy nodded.

"Yeah, I'm going on a mission with Erza probably tomorrow."

"That's good. Want something to drink? Coffee? Have you ate yet?"

"I did, coffee is fine. Thank you." Lilly motioned for her to follow him. She did, into the kitchen. He changed into his battle mode and grabbed a Mug from a cabinet and started the coffee maker. "It's nice here." She said after a while. Lilly turned to her from pouring the coffee and thanked her.

"Gajeel made most of the Iron parts himself. When he first got the place, it was rather run down. He started over and fixed everything up himself." Lucy took the warm mug he handed to her. She could feel the warm drink through her mittens and it immediately sent warmth to the rest of body. It reminded her of the dream she had the night before. The unexpected warmth surrounding her.

"_Change it" _

When she had slept last night, she didn't dream. There wasn't anything to write in the book so she instead wrote goals she wanted to do. She read she could control a dream, make it her own. She wanted that, to, for the most part, end the "falling dream" it was getting worse each time she slept, but Gajeel was there, rubbing the palm of her hand and cooing comforting words in her ears until she could move and see again.

For last part of the evening yesterday, she practiced trying to change her dreams by having Gajeel or Erza waking her up then concentrating on where she wanted to go. She always went back to the dream with Gajeel and Dream Lucy. She wanted to float down and grab him but each time it ended the same, Lisanna pulling her away from him. _"Don't fight me"_ being the last words she heard.

She sipped slowly on the mug before Lilly gained her attention. "Keep him close." Lucy blinked a few times.

"Excuse me?"

"Gajeel, he doesn't open up much. I think it's hard for Levy to talk to him herself. I just want someone to open up to him just a little more. Maybe then he'll learn to trust." It wasn't Gajeel who needed to trust, it was Lucy. He had asked her to trust him and yet she could answer him. She almost lost him because she wouldn't answer. She could get closer to him but she didn't think she trusted herself to do that. It was hard to let someone in when you couldn't understand yourself. She had a few things to clear up before she could move any farther with Gajeel.

"Gajeel is opening up with me fast enough. We'll take it slowly." She smiled up at Panterlilly. "If we go any farther than friends, it'll be a little into the future. He's just taking care of me right now, as a friend, like Erza and Gray. If we learn to trust each other more, it'll develop slowly. We shouldn't rush things."

Lilly nodded. "Understood. You're a good woman Lucy. Take care of him."

She will.

* * *

When they made it to the guild, it was already starting to snow. Lucy loved the snow. She thought she loved it too much. Gajeel watched her as she balanced herself on the side of the canal. The boaters called out to her and she gladly waved and yelled back. He couldn't help but smile at her.

The guild was actually packed. Erza was waiting for her at her normal table. Lucy waved at Gajeel and walked over to her red haired friend. Erza stood up and they walked over to the job request board.

As Erza peered over the posted missions she said, "We should pick something that isn't too hard, what do you think?" Lucy looked over the requests and grabbed one holding it out to Erza.

"This one" They had to track and find four dark mages. Lucy didn't think it was hard at all. Erza looked up at her and nodded.

"Okay, that one is fine. I'll go show Mira." She took the paper and walked it over to Mira. Lucy watched her go before she felt an arm drape over her shoulders. Looking up she saw it was Laxus. He smiled down at her.

"Morning, Blondie" he said. Lucy smiled back at him.

"Good morning, Laxus." He let go of her but didn't walk away. "I'm sorry about yesterday." She said. He waved her off.

"It's alright. You must have been tired. Did you get some sleep last night?" she nodded. She was actually glad Laxus was concerned about her. She was surprised herself that she was glad about that. From what she gathered, the man wasn't really good on the people side of things for he was only seen with just his team, but for him to open up himself to her and be willing to have a conversation with her was something she didn't even think was possible.

"I did. Your arm was nice though." she teased. Laxus laughed.

"Glad you enjoyed." He walked her back to her table and even sat with her. "Going on a mission?" he asked once they were seated.

She nodded looking back up to Erza who seemed to be having a conversation with Elfman and Mira. She was probably asking about Lisanna. Lucy knew she should probably go check on the other woman herself. She glanced over to the stairs leading her up to the takeover mage and her expression saddened. Laxus saw the face she was giving up towards the infirmary and cleared his throat. Lucy snapped her head towards him. "I'm sorry" she mumbled.

Laxus sighed and leaned in a little. "Do you want to go see her?" Lucy slowly nodded and stood when Laxus did. He walked beside her up to the infirmary. When Laxus opened the door the smell of roses rushed over her. As she stepped in, she could see why. Right next to lisanna's bed was a large bouquet of roses. Lucy walked towards the bed, her heart pounding. There was Lisanna, her eyes closed and tucked under the white sheets of the bed. Lucy felt a tug on heart strings looking at the other mage, her guild mate, in the condition she was in because of her.

Laxus stepped beside her, looking down at Lisanna. "Lucy, nothing that happened, should blamed on you. You did your best. Gajeel made sure he cleared that up." Lucy looked up at him. Laxus smirked. "Gajeel stood in front of the whole guild and told everyone what he had seen. How you covered Lisanna when you two were going to get hit. You took more damage than she did, she just lost more blood." Lucy looked back down at the other mage.

"Maybe Natsu was right though. I should have been there."

"And maybe you should have been, but no one cares about that. It was about what you did afterwards that made people understand that you made an honest mistake." Laxus sighed. "Natsu is just an idiot and made you feel bad. Don't worry about what he says. What he says doesn't matter" Laxus looked over to the corner of the room. "And you know what you said wasn't called for." He said.

Natsu stepped out, his hands crossed over his chest. He looked at Lucy then back to Laxus. "What I said was the truth. You and Gajeel can protect her all you want but the truth is the truth. Yes I'm angry, I'm upset that Lucy wasn't there. I still care about her but right now I can't look her in the eye knowing that she did something like that."

Laxus shook his head. "Natsu it's not that serious." Natsu immediately took an offence to that.

"So you're saying that Lisanna being in a coma isn't serious!?" he shot back. Laxus narrowed his eyes at him.

"I don't care anymore. I know what I think about this situation and you know what you think. Lucy, in my eyes, is innocent." He turned to her and gently pulled her out of the room by her hand. She stopped him for a second and turned back to Natsu.

"What does mean, Natsu?" she asked. "Does this mean you won't come over anymore, we won't go on mission's together, no more team Natsu."

His eyes saddened and he turned away from her walking over to Lisanna. He grabbed the takeover mage's hand and clenched his other hand into a fist. "As of right now I don't even want to look at you Lucy." He said. Laxus tried to pull her out again but she was stayed were she was, frozen from the heartbreak. Natsu continued. "So, no I won't come over, I won't go on a mission with you, and there is no team Natsu." he looked back at her, his jaw set and his lips in a straight line of disgust. "Maybe Gajeel or Laxus would like to start a team with you, because I don't."

Laxus went to hit Natsu but someone grabbed him, pulling him back. Gajeel walked into the room and walked up to Natsu. "Your right." He said. "I'd love to start a team with Lucy." He narrowed his eyes. "She doesn't need to be around you anyway. It's bad for her heath. Just looking at you makes me sick." He grabbed his vest pulling him closer. "Stay the fuck away from her, or not only will I beat you to a pulp, but I'll put you in the same position Lisanna is in." he shoved him into a wall and walked out.

Laxus glared at him one last time before pulling Lucy with him after Gajeel. Lucy didn't say anything. Laxus faced forward as they walked back into the guild and didn't say word. Gajeel's stomping was the only sound through the hallways. Lucy grabbed Laxus's coat. He looked down at her.

"I'm going home. Tell Erza to come by when she wants." She walked off with not even a reply from the older man. Gajeel watched her go, his hands tucked into his pockets. He wanted to reach out and grab her, pull her in his arms, but he gave her some time to let everything Natsu said sink in. she needed to understand that she couldn't just depend on him, Natsu was nothing good for her. Gajeel was the one who should be there with her but he couldn't find his legs to move and follow her. Instead he followed after Laxus when the other dragon slayer blew out a frustrated sigh and started for the bar where Erza was at.

* * *

Lucy walked around her mind clouded with random thoughts, none of the right thing. How could Natsu just say something like that and not care what she was thinking, not care what happened to her, not care how she felt? How could he not know that what happened with Lisanna was weighing down on her just as much as it was weighing down on the rest of the guild? She remembered the book she never let go of. The one filled with her goals. She opened it peering at the long list.

_Forgive myself._

Yeah right. What was she thinking when she wrote that. She clenched the book in her hands and ripped it apart the frustration hitting her all at once. She was right at the canal. She peered into the water and threw down the book onto the concrete. She stomped on it and kicked at it. Tears flowed down her face as she screamed out her anger. Natsu was the worst. He wasn't good for her. Forget him. Forget the guild. Forget her dreams. Forget Erza, Gray, Laxus, forget them all! She didn't care anymore. Nothing mattered. She given up. Looking down at the mess of paper she made, she crouched down right there and cried into her knees and arms. She didn't care who stared, who saw. What was the point?

She stood up and looked back at the canal. How many times had she walked through here with Natsu? She hated this just as much as she hated him now. She kicked at the rocks. What use did that have though? To think about it, she was more frustrated at herself than she was at the canal or Natsu or anything. It was herself.

"_Stop being pathetic."_

Yes, that was exactly what she was. She stood on top of the edge of the canal and clenched her hands into fist.

And she jumped.

Her face hit the cold water and she went under the surface. She heard voices but she knew they weren't for her. Her body flowed into the water. She knew she was already being taken by the current, it was too late to back out now. A hand grabbed hers and she was pulled between two bodies. She didn't dare open her eyes though as they pulled her to the surface.

Gasping for air, she opened her eyes to see the angered face of Gray, dripping wet from the water. "Are you stupid!" he yelled. Lucy flinched at how angered he sounded.

"Lucy you could have killed yourself. Don't you even do that again, understand!" another voice yelled at her. She turned to Loke holding her to his chest. He must have opened his gate when she jumped, knowing she was in danger.

"Lucy!" she looked up to Erza and Laxus running along the edge of the canal watching them slowly float down the river's current. Gray pulled her back to the edge and Loke lifted her up onto the rocks. Laxus and Erza made it to them. Erza tackled her in a hug and squeezed her tightly. "Lucy, you don't know how bad you scared me" she said stroking her hair. Lucy hugged her back feeling the tears returning. Laxus draped his coat around them and crouched beside her.

"I told you not to let what Natsu said bother you. What were you thinking?" he said resting his forehead on hers. Loke was holding her hand still halfway in the water. Gray had his arms crossed over his chest frowning at her.

She was wrong. So wrong. How could she do something like that? These people cared about her, risked their lives for her and she rather just throw hers away. She was pathetic, but these people accepted that. They didn't care. She remembered one person, there for her all the time. Maybe he wasn't her right now and maybe he said those things but she knew Natsu didn't mean everything he said.

Then there was Gajeel. New to her world of hurt and comfort. She needed him now.

Erza pulled away from her. "We need to get you home. I know you're freezing." She said. Loke pulled himself out of the water, Gray helped him. Laxus picked Lucy up and walked her home Erza right beside him.

* * *

"I can't believe you would do something like that!" After she had gotten all cleaned up and dresses. Loke left and Laxus walked back to the guild with a promise of seeing her later. Erza sat in a chair as Gray stood in front of her scolding her constantly. "I don't care if you just going to the bathroom, no one is to leave your side, you understand! You scared the hell out of me!" Lucy looked up at him and smiled. Gray scowled harder. "Don't even think about smiling it off!" he said turning his head away and crossing his arms over his chest. Lucy stood up and pulled him into a hug.

"Thank you Gray, I promise it won't happen again." She said burying her face in his shoulder.

He huffed. "It better not." He stood there like that for a moment before wrapping his arms around her and pressing a kiss to her temple. "Geez Lucy. I swear you are going to be the death of me."

She probably would be.

* * *

The front door slammed open. Despite his big lecture on not leaving Lucy alone, Gray was on the couch passed out into a sleep and Erza had left to go pack for her and Lucy's mission the following day. Laxus had already came by and left for the night so that meant the person stomping into her kitchen was none other than…

"Bunny! I swear I let you walk home by yourself and next thing I know is Laxus coming back, telling me you almost committed suicide." Gajeel frowned down at her, his face dotted with a light sweat and his chest rising and falling fast. He ran here.

Lucy was drinking coffee at her table. She ran her finger around the edge and stared at the beverage. Gajeel grabbed her chin and turned her face to him. "Answer me." He grumbled.

"You didn't ask anything." He narrowed his eyes at her. "I'm sorry." She finally said. He didn't let go. She hugged him. "Where you worried?"

"Do you think I wasn't!? I almost strangled Laxus for more information. If you ever do something like that again, I don't know what I would do." He hugged her back. "Lucy," he sighed. "I really care about you. I don't want something like that to happen." She mumbled a small 'mhm' feeling herself slip away. He noticed her soft reply and looked down at her. "Lucy?"

Before she could say anything, a dream took over.

* * *

_She was in the room with Natsu again. He was holding her, the dream Lucy, soothing her with his voice. Lucy watched them. She was angry that Dream Lucy was in his arms. Seeking for his comfort._

"_Change it"_

_She wanted to but all she could was stare. She had to pull Dream Lucy away before Natsu pushed her into the falling dream. That was enough to make her push forward towards them. To stop this dream from continuing._

_She felt her legs moving. She felt her hand reaching out. Then she felt herself grabbing ahold of Dream Lucy's shoulder. "You don't need him!" she yelled. "He's no good!" Dream Lucy stared at him._

_Dream Lucy snatched her arm away and she suddenly turned into Lisanna. "Come on Lucy?" she said. "Who did you think this was?" Lucy was confused. Was it Lisanna the whole time?_

_Natsu stood up with his fingers laced in Lisanna's. "Get out" he said._

_Then she was falling._

_Nothing was going to stop this dream. Everything was going to be the same._

_She would never find the ending._

_Her mind knew there was no ending, but her body was still shaking from the feeling of what was yet to come. Would she ever know what was at the end?_

_Only time would tell._

"_Change it" the voice told her._

"_I can't!" she screamed back. "It's impossible! I'll never change it!"_

"_Then break it." Lucy stared at the darkness around her._

"_Break it?" she repeated. "How! How do I break it!?"_

"_I wouldn't know."_

"_What!"_

"_Dream on, dear Lucy" the voice started to fade. She reached her hand out._

"_No! Please tell me!"_

_But there was nothing._

_She just fell._

_Again._

* * *

Lucy sat up in the bed. Gajeel was next to her. He stared into her eyes before he smirked. That's when she realized something. She moved. _She moved! She could see!_ She clamped her arms around his neck and beamed. "I can see!" she said. "I can move! I changed the dream….kind of." Gajeel rubbed his hand up and down her back and smiled.

"I can see that." He said. Lucy pulled away and grinned at him.

"Are you proud!?" Gajeel laughed.

"Very. Now get up, don't you need to pack for your mission tomorrow?" she nodded, standing up from the bed. Gray was still sleep on the couch. She smiled at him before walking to her closet and pulling out her duffle bag. Gajeel watched her as she folded and placed a two days' worth of supplies into the bag.

When she was done. She fell back into the bed with a sigh. Her back hit the pillows as she stared at the ceiling. Gajeel laid beside her and stared at it with her. She grabbed his hand and laced her fingers in his. He gave her hand a squeeze and brought it up to his mouth where he planted a kiss to her knuckles.

"What Natsu said-"

"I'm over it." She said, cutting him off. She looked over at him and smiled. "You're right. Natsu is no good and I let that sink in. I won't let what he said affect me anymore. I still have other people who care, who worry about my safety, who want to look me in the eyes. That's why I'm grateful to you, Laxus, Erza, and Gray and all my spirits, you all make me stronger and there's nothing else I want more." She looked back up towards the ceiling and frowned. "I wasn't thinking straight and did something that made you guys worry. That wasn't the way I wanted to show you how much I appreciated everything you guys did. What I'm trying to say is-" Gajeel cut her off. His lips crashed into hers. She melted into the kiss as he tipped her head back to deepen it. He pulled away and stared at her for a second before he scooped her up into his arms. He stood up, carrying her out the door. She looked back at her apartment as he started down the street after making it fully outside. "Where are we going?" she asked.

He looked up at her and smirked. "A walk." He said. "I don't want stripper waking up and watching us. Just want you alone." Lucy smiled. He put her down and she walked with him side by side towards Magnolia's park. When she made it she looked around at all the snow. At least Gajeel grabbed her coat before he walked out because it was really cold. She didn't care, in fact, the first thing she did when she slipped on her jacket, was face plant herself into the snow. As stupid as that was, she didn't regret it, not in the least bit. She actually laughed at herself. Turning around in the thick cold blanket of white, she sighed up at the sky.

Before she knew it, a big lump of snow landed on her face. Looking up, after she wiped the snow off, she saw Gajeel grinning down at her another snowball in his hand. She immediately stood up and made a quick one, throwing it at him. She missed. Gajeel laughed. She frowned at him before making another and trying again. Gajeel dodged it before dropping the one he had and tackling her into the snow. They laughed as she rolled around and he landed on her stomach. She wrapped her arms around him and recovered from her laughing fit. They stayed like that for a while.

"Lilly" Lucy said finally. Gajeel sat up and raised his eyebrow. "He told me to take care of you." Gajeel rolled to the side of her and puffed out a sigh watching it cloud up in the air.

"Did he?" she nodded. "Guess he thinks I may like you" Lucy frowned.

"You don't?" Gajeel looked over at her. His face was blank, she couldn't read his expression. She wanted him to like her, she'd be really upset if he didn't. He suddenly smiled at her.

"Would I just kiss any girl?" Lucy laughed.

"I don't know, do you?" Gajeel frowned.

"No"

"Then I guess you do like me."

Gajeel corrected her. "I don't just like you, I care about you. I want you to trust me. I know what I did in the past"

"I told you I forgave you for that. Why do you still bring that up?"

"Because I don't know what's stopping you from trusting me." Lucy closed her mouth from saying anything else. She knew that wasn't why she couldn't trust him completely then again why couldn't she? She didn't even know herself. She'd been selfish this whole time wanting Gajeel for herself and yet he was the one confused, not knowing her true feelings. Gajeel reached over and grabbed her hand. "It ticked me off when Natsu was so close to you, almost like your boyfriend and then all of a sudden he said something like that, throwing everything you two been through away, just because of a mistake you made. It made me wonder, what the heck did he do to earn your trust anyway? What made him become so close to you when I darn near saved your life and you still don't trust me the way you did with him. And you still trust Natsu now don't you." Lucy didn't answer. "I know you do and I can't fault you for trusting him. Natsu saved you a lot more than I have, he even saved you from me."

"Gajeel" She cut him off there, she understood everything else but now it was just too much. She understood she had been too cruel, but now Gajeel was starting to doubt himself.

"No, don't stop me. I'm not done." Lucy looked away. "I know I'm not close to you right now but give me a chance. Like I said I care about you…." He frowned. "I really want for you to be safe…..i- forget it." He stood up brushing the snow off of himself. Lucy followed after him when he stared to walk off.

"Gajeel! Wait" she ran after him and grabbed his coat. "Look I'm sorry." He turned around and gently removed her hand from him.

"You don't have to force yourself." He looked away. "I'll see you later." Then he walked off. Leaving her there to watch him leave.

Yet again, she screwed up.

Yet again, someone she loved was walking off.

It hurt.

It burned.

But she had to shake it off.

Hold her head up.

Gajeel said he cared for her and she cared for him. She wanted to trust him, but for now her heart couldn't let him in. Was there ever going to be any room for him there? She had to search for that answer herself.

Gajeel liked her. She didn't know how, but she knew that was her first step.

She wouldn't bother him, but she'd watch him from afar and grow her trust because that was what she wanted to do.

She wanted to trust him.

To Love him.

Soon she would.


	4. A Small UpdateMashup

It's been a long while since I've updated. I understand and I very much apologize. BUT I'm doing my best to get back into the swing of writing.

A little while ago something very heartbreaking happened and it's crushed my dreams of becoming an author. But I've been getting a lot of help from friends and hoe to update soon.

Thank you all for being patient in my selfish moment.

Love,

Mehri/Yobi

xXGajeel-LucyXx or GrayXLucyFE

* * *

Ps: here is a little mashup of all my stories. Can you name them all without rereading?

If you can you get a special sneak peak at any story of your choice. It's broken up to help you.

100 questions should be the only one not used.

Ready?

Go!

* * *

Natsu: WHY AM I ALWAYS THE BAD GUY IN YOUR STORIES!

Lucy: not in The NEW sister of Laxus Deyar, though.

Gray: HA! I punched laxus!

Laxus: *growls*

* * *

Wendy: Erza… are you ok?

Erza: *with tears in eyes* Freed understand that…. We will get through this together.

Freed: *smiles* of course. Mehri/Yobi isn't going to make us fight…. Are you?

Me: no promises.

Cobra: Me and Mira Eh?

Mira: FUN!

Natsu: HONEYMOON TIME!

* * *

Sting: ROUGE COME HOOOOOOME!

Gray: Back off!

Rouge* sighs*

* * *

Freed: Gajeel… or Sting? Erza? Lucy?

Auska: LAXUS!

Laxus & Erza: NO!

* * *

Loke: Lucy forgive me.

Laxus: You've hurt her too much already.

Wendy: I can't let you do that anymore.

Loke: It's for her future!

* * *

Gajeel: Why won't you trust me.

Panterlilly: give her time.

* * *

Lucy: thank you mom, laxus.

* * *

Gray: Your blood is safe with us, Lucy.

Sting: *grins* we'll see about that.

Orga:*nods*

* * *

Laxus: who's child is this?

Lucy: it doesn't matter, it can't be alone.

* * *

Natsu: is seven months a really enough time to train?

Gajeel: enough time for bunny.

* * *

Bickslow: Be safe Lucy.

* * *

Loke: Hurry up and find my key!

Lucy: I am!

Laxus: *sighs*

* * *

Freed: Jesus Sting Stop!

Sting: But I Loooove you, my honey.

Jellal: get a room.

Rouge: *hold onto Jellal tighter*

* * *

Natsu: isn't summer over?

Rufus: let thesummer spirit rain on.

Juvia: Juvia agrees.

Yukino: Summer is ours remember!?

* * *

Me: Ok that's enough. Bye everyone!

Evidence: *waves good-bye*

Laxus: Lucy!

Lucy: I got her! I got her!


	5. Help From an Unexpected Friend

**Sorry for the veeeeeeeeeeeeeeery late update. I think I may finally be ready to get back into writing. So thank you all for the support! I love you guys truly.**

**Also 101 follows!? Wow thank you oh so very much!**

**I apologize though for this being a rather short update compared to the others.**

**Anyway thanks for the support and thanks for reading!**

**Sorry for any mistakes.**

The mission with Erza was Lucy's main concern. Gajeel would have to wait for later. As she tugged herself out of bed she held her head in the palms of her hand. Last night was horrible. Without Gajeel there to rub out her numb fingers, she laid paralyzed for about thirty minutes each time she woke up from her dreams. It was tiring her out and she didn't know if she had the energy for this mission, even so she got up and bathed before throwing on some clothes and a light layer of makeup. She'd meet Erza at the guild for just a few moments, apparently Master wanted her to do something on the side on the mission.

As Lucy slipped on her shoes a slight knock sounded at her door. She walked over and unlocked it before swinging it open to Laxus. He smiled at her and walked in when she moved over for him to past. "morning." She smiled back at him and grabbed an apple from her fruit bowl. Laxus sat on her couch and puffed out a sigh. She walked over and sat beside him, leaning back against the arm of the couch and pulling her legs up to her chest.

"What's up?" she asked. She took a rather small bite from her apple and cringed. She didn't even know why she grabbed it. She didn't even have the energy to eat it. Laxus flashed her a grin and dug into his pants pocket and pulled out a small necklace. He reach over, wrapped it around her neck and clamped it on. Lucy looked down at it. The pendent was in the shape of a sword a small diamond in the middle of the handle. "What is this?" she asked.

Laxus leaned back and smiled. "I was worried about what happened the last time. From what Gajeel told me you didn't have any defense against the woman that attacked you and Lisanna, your magic was drained wasn't it?" she nodded remembering the hopeless feeling she had. "The sword on your neck grows and turns life sized when you touch the diamond. It doesn't run by magic so you can use it anytime you want. This is like a last resort. I don't want you to be hurt again during this mission so I and Gajeel went out and got it last night." Lucy frowned. Gajeel went with him to get it.

"Gajeel. Where is he?" she asked. She couldn't help it. How could Gajeel still worry about her even after what happened yesterday? She thought he was upset with her. Laxus smiled wider.

"He's not mad at you, Lucy." Her eyes went wide as she realized she had just said that out loud. Laxus leaned in and squeezed her hand. "Gajeel just needs some time to think. And maybe you should to."

She cringed. "You know what happened." Laxus nodded.

"He spilled after asking me to help him find something to protect you on the mission without him being there." Lucy touched the sword and smiled. Gajeel still cared. He still cared about her. She was wrong for what she did and she wanted to apologize. She made up in her mind when she saw him at the guild that she would talk to him while Erza talked to Master.

"Alright" she said standing up and grabbing her bag. Laxus watched her with his eyebrow raised. "Lets go to the guild!" Laxus chuckled and stood up. She walked out with him behind her. It was time to straighten things out with him.

* * *

Lucy halfway jogged to the guild, Laxus following close behind her. When she made it she immediately looked around for her rather interesting dragon slayer friend. He was sitting with levy beside him, his legs kicked up and his eyes closed. She started for him but was stopped when Gray walked up.

"Lucy, Erza's in the master's office." He told her. Lucy smiled at him and thanked him before starting to walk towards Gajeel again. Gray stopped her again. "Whoa, what's the rush? You just brushed me off, are you that ready to leave." Lucy shook her head. She didn't have time to stand her and talk with him. If she didn't talk to Gajeel now, she'd have to wait until after the mission. She didn't want that, she wanted to tell him how she felt right now. Gray was now the only thing keeping her away from that. Lucy gave him a hug before mumbling a sorry and running towards Gajeel.

His eyes opened and peered up at her from his seat. He watched as she passed tables,closing the distance between them. She was on table away when a hand grabbed hers. She whipped around now aggravated. "Gray I-" turning around Erza stood raising her eyebrows. "Oh, Erza. I'm sorry."

Erza turned and pulled her in the opposite direction. "Where were you going? We're going to be late for the train if we don't leave now. Master held me up longer than I thought." Lucy tried to pull her hand away but Erza's grip was stronger. She glanced back at Gajeel, who was still watching her. He stood up and started to walk towards her but the guild doors broke their eye contact. Erza had pulled her all the way out of the guild.

She didn't get to talk with Gajeel.

* * *

The train ride wasn't long, about an hour tops. The client was a tall man with stubble under his chin and large green eyes. He smiled at Erza and shook her hand, then Lucy's. "I'm glad you took the job request." Lucy nodded and cut off whatever he was about say by smiling and saying they'd do their best, before pulling Erza out and leaving. Erza gave her some kind of a look indicating she didn't like the way Lucy handled that. Lucy didn't care. She was still a little angry for not talking to Gajeel. How could she focus on this mission without thinking about him?She thought of him constantly. Gajeel was on her mind. The hand she held, the lips she kissed, the gentleness he showed, everything came crashing down on her at once. Why didn't she see it before? She loved Gajeel. Maybe it was a great love but she defiantly had feeling for him and she just wanted to see him again. Maybe it was hard for her to trust him completely and love him with her whole heart, but she wanted to try, she wanted to be with Gajeel.

Erza stopped suddenly and sighed. "Lucy, has something happened? You seem a little… moody today." Lucy cringed. Was that how she seemed? She didn't want to. Forget it, she really didn't care.

"Sorry" she mumbled before walking off again. Erza narrowed her eyes at the other woman.

"Lucy. Is it Gajeel?" Lucy bit her lip. Shut it Lucy, don't even think about spilling like he did. But she did anyway. There she was telling Erza everything, from the dreams, to how being with Gajeel made her feel, even to the moments they shared. She told Erza everything. The red haired woman didn't judge her for anything that happened. Instead she gave her advice. "Honestly," she said with a beautiful smile, one that meant that she was serious ad sincere in what she was about to say, "I think you are caught up in the past." Lucy felt a little offended. How could she still hold that against Gajeel? She never had, she actually thought that was helped them become closer. She was more than sure he didn't just ask any girl to dress up in a bunny costume and prance around.

She forgave him.

Then again, sometimes that pain and wounds that he inflicted on her, scared something within her. She knew she shouldn't feel afraid of him but he was terrifying that time. He was shaken up about the whole situation, she knew that. Gajeel would never just be Gajeel. It was always, somewhere deep down in her mind, that monster that attacked her. That was why she couldn't trust him. She was still somehow scared of him.

Erza studied her face as she thought. Lucy felt the worst. She was the worst. Gajeel could probably sense the small lingering of fear in her when she was with him. Erza sighed and pulled her blonde friend into her arms. "If you haven't noticed it by now, that's a good thing. It means you are trying to forget. You want forget, don't you." Lucy nodded into her best friend's shirt. Erza smiled again.

"Thank you Erza, I understand now." Lucy pulled away and smiled herself despite how she was feeling inside. More than she ever had, she wanted to see Gajeel again. But this mission was more important.

For now.

Erza and Lucy looked around. The Dark mages from the job request paper, and the client, instructed them towards the east side of the forest. Lucy couldn't understand why most job request instructed for them to be in the forest. Was it something Dark mages enjoyed about the forest? Erza equipped a sword as the continued on their way. Lucy was starting to remember the last time she was in a vast area of Trees and bushes. No. don't think of that now. _Mouth closed, heart calm, Mind focused._ It was exactly how Erza wanted it. No flashbacks.

Lucy lightly brushed against her own sword around her neck. Gajeel was here. He's feelings anyway. Unfortunately he had to share them with Laxus. Lucy cringed at that thought. Why was she thinking so much anyway?

_Mouth closed, heart calm, and Lucy, damn it, mind focused! _

Lucy bit her lip. She felt a soft hand grab her own. She squeezed the comfort a little. Erza was always here.

Just when she thought she was calm, she could hear footsteps. It was the dark mages she knew. She closed her eyes and took in a deep breath. She was almost reluctant to let go of Erza' hand. But she wouldn't dare leave her side. No. not that mistake again. She'd show Natsu.

The bushes started to move and sway. Erza prepared herself, giving one last look to Lucy. Lucy's jaw was set and her eyes were focused in on the bush, she was ready. Erza had to smile at that. She knew the other woman was ready to redeem herself as a more responsible fairy tail mage. She could feel it surrounding her in a boast of ego.

Lucy put her hand on her whip and was ready to send it flying whenever she needed to. The bushes shook again. "NOW!" Erza yelled. They took off.

Erza swung her sword at the green shrub and cleaned the leaves straight off its branches. Lucy took her whip and latched it to whoever was behind the darkening shadows the now naked bush hid them in. Lucy's eyes widened when she realized what she caught.

"Lilly!?" the exceed stared back at the female mage and tried a smile. Erza lowered her sword and shook her head. "What are you doing here!? Is Gajeel here!?" Lucy said the eagerness in wanting to see I'm clouding over in her words. Lilly shook his head.

"I'm afraid not. He just sent to keep an eye on you, Lucy." Lucy's heart skipped a beat. Maybe four. How much Gajeel cared, flashed a feeling inside her. The desire to see him deepened and she was almost tempted to run off back to the nearest train station and catch a ride to his arms. She resisted the feeling and gripped her whip tighter.

"Why?" she mumbled. "Why does he do this to me?" Lilly smiled again.

"Didn't he tell you?" Lucy lowered her glaze. Gajeel told her, he cared about her, deeply. She cared about him. She wanted to trust him, love him. She wanted him. All of him. _Geez why was all of this complicated!?_

Erza suddenly snapped her head above her. "We're not alone." Lucy followed the older mage's glaze up to a nearby tree with a shadow in it. A shadow of a person. Lilly got into his Battle mode and stood right beside Lucy. Lucy grabbed a key. She was ready to get this over with. Nothing was going to stop her from seeing Gajeel anymore.

The shadow jumped. Lucy summoned her spirit. "Taraus!" The large bull wielding his axe flashed by her side as Lilly extended the length of his sword. Erza took off already in her flame empress armor. Lucy took her whip and readied herself.

Three beams of light shot out at them. Lilly took care of the one directed at Lucy and Erza easily deflected the ones at her. Taraus swung his axe when some kind of star shaped knife was thrown at him. Lucy was able to get a good view of one when Lilly hit it with his sword when it was thrown at him. "Shurikens?" Lucy remembered seeing one before in a magic shop she'd been to. It was magic powered also. Which mean once of the dark mages they were dealing with was probably a ninja mage. The slick ones were the worst. Taraus suddenly froze before turning back to Erza. "Taraus!" Lucy yelled. "What's wrong!?" Taraus didn't answer his master as he charged towards the requip mage. Erza looked over at the bull before he tackled her to the ground.

"Moooove!" he yelled. Another large beam of magical power was blasted at them. Taurus barely had enough time to move Erza out of the way. The fell and tumbled down a hill and off a small cliff. Panterlilly cursed under his breath and grabbed Lucy just as a blast of magic attacked them.

~X~

Gajeel stood up and walked towards the front of the guild. Laxus turned towards him from his spot watching Mira wait on the tables. He sighed and sat beside the other male dragon slayer. Laxus smirked. "I went to see Blondie this morning." Gajeel's head shot up.

"For what?" laxus's grin became wider

"I told her you talked to me." Gajeel frowned at him.

"If I remember correctly, I never asked for your damn help." Laxus raised an eyebrow.

"Maybe. But you did come and talk to me."

"I was half asleep"

"You were as awake as the day" Gajeel frowned harder. Mira walked by then and paused.

"What's the matter, Gajeel?" The said man just turned away from them. Laxus chuckled.

"He's got his head up his ass because he couldn't talk to Lucy." Mira's eyes turned into stars.

"Lucy? My! The babies!" Gajeel sharply turned around with a light blush on his cheeks. Laxus burst into laughter. Mira grinned. "Gajeel, do you like Lucy? Maybe even Love?" Gajeel stood up then. Laxus watched him. Gajeel clenched his hands into fist and grinded his teeth together. The funny part to what Mira said was the fact that he actually was, he was falling for her. How the hell had he not notice. Looking over her with her dreams, thinking about her constantly, wanting to kiss her just once more even after they just had, wanting to stay by her side, this was all signs of him wanting to be with her.

He turned around and looked the perky barmaid in the eyes. "Yeah, I love her." Laxus narrowed his eyes as Mira's surprised look washed over her. "But" Gajeel started to walk off. "I'm too stupid to notice before"

Two chairs scrapped against the guild's floor hard. Laxus and Mira both looked over to the two responsible. Natsu tucked his hands into his pants and walked off up towards the infirmary. Levy ran after Gajeel dropping the book she had in her hands down to the ground.

Laxus watched her leave then turned back to Natsu now half way up the stairs. Mira tucked her tray under arm and sighed. "My goodness" she said closing her eyes and shaking her head. Laxus set down the glass he had in his hands he hadn't notice he had the whole time. "What is going to become of this?" Laxus looked over to Gray on the other side of the bar.

"You alright with this?" he said. Gray looked over to him and narrowed his eyes.

"No, so don't you fucking bring it up again."

* * *

"_He hurt you, Lucy. Kill him"_

_Lucy's eyes shot open. Gajeel stood right before her. Natsu was beside her his hand on her shoulder. "Kill him"_

"_SHUT UP!" a hand reached out and struck Natsu across the face. No not a hand. Hair?_

"_Lucy? Blondie? Lucy!"_

_She fell. _

_But this time something grabbed her._

"Blondie?"

"Lucy!" Lucy opened her eyes. Lily was in her arms weak and limp in her lap. She turned to see Erza holding up Taurus with his arm draped over her shoulder. Before her, stood a woman with long red hair that was wrapped around the dark mage by his neck.

Flare turned and smiled down at Lucy. "Blondie? do you need some help?"


End file.
